The Opelousas courier., 1887-08-27
HUNTERS PERIL.
"A Thrilling Adventure With
a Fierce Mountain Lion.
The Wounded Animal Lad, His Pursuers
q Long Chase

infest that region. The writer says
These animals are too we'll known al
over the country to need further descrir'
ton, but an incident will serve to illus
trate their foreclosures and dangcrou
character if they happen to be wounded
instead of killed outright. A party o.
deer hunters were out some time since
among the foothills of the Big Horn
Mountains, or rather what we call Little
Horn, on the eastern slope of the main
Horn range, and had made alovcly head.
quarters camp on the banks of a cod
and rocky r%ivulet, tceming with trout,
while back of them, sloping into the air,
were the timbered inclines of the first
benches of the mountains. About four
miles distant was a gigantic canon OF
mountain rent, within the depths OF
which numerous grizzlies were known to
have their dens. AS the party were after
deer, however, and not bear, they in
tended to steer clear of the gorge, con-
fning themselves to the tlmbered slopes,
where numerous deer signs were visible,
and also indications of the monster blue
or true Rocky Mountain elk.
The morning after their arrival two
of the hunters, Richards and Craig,
shouldered their rifles and struck off
across the valley in the direction Of the
canon, soon losing themselves among
the clusters of pine timber that fringed
the foothills. Here they separated,
agreeing to meet near the entrance of
the canon at noon and compare notes.
Thirty minutes had hardly elapsed when
Richards heard the report of a rifle,
(his comradc's) and almost Immediately
afterward another shot rang out, in
stantly followed by q third. Thinking
he had struck a nest of deer, Richards
fastened forward and found his partner
standing over the carcasses of two deer,
with u wounded mountain lion holding
him at bay, and his gun some % feet
distant lying on the ground. How
Craig ever foolishly parted with his qua
the rescuer never stopped to inquire, but
while Craig stood facing the lion with a
long bowie knife in his hand, Richards
raised his piece and fired at the
brute. With a scream OF pain the ami
NAL vaulted in the air straight at Craig,
but mi%sca!calating tho distance passed
at least three feet beyond. Fortunately
man lodged and the animal kept
on leaping, soon disappearing from
sight. 1t was a narrow escape, but it
was a clean one, and it may be truly
said that both men were thankful for
The small favor.
Dropping the deer, the hunters set
out after the lion, whose trail was made
plain by the spots and drippings of
blood. The spoor was easily followed,
though clusters of pines were here
md there, the ground was destitute of
grass or u%nderbrush and the great lets
If blood spurted all over the ground and
IN the fallen logs told that the beast
vas badly wounded and walking slowly.
After proceeding a mile they spied the
elbow about 200 yards ahead standing
tiff and intentiy licking his wounds.
sighting them he maiestically dashed
lis tail from side TO side for all the
World like a domestic cat in a rage; but
ust as the rifles were brought to bear
n him, whiskl out of sight he went, and
either of the hunters could tell what
tad become of him. Cautiously they
eeonnoitered, examining the trees
bove, for perchanee the agile climber
light be roosting on some limb ready
or a spring downward. They found a
DOL of blood where he had stood mend
g his wound and from there the trail
d in spots again up a short hill, down
other side into the bed of a ravine,
here he had evidently stopped a mo-
tent to drink and cool his bleeding
'acture or fractures. Straight into the
.outh of the canon he led the hunters.
I'D after following a mile into the
epths and darkness of this awful
ountain rent, coming to a pile of moss
'vered rocks there lay the mountain
On not so yards distant, crouchcd on
o ground with his head between his
Tvs.
For a moment they thought him dead,
u when the monster raised his head,
at them angrily, and then emitted
omlnoas growl there was no mistakingI]
$ intentions had the beast strength
q power sufficient left to get back at
Both men cautiously and slowly
lsed their r q g. aimed carefully at the /
ms l1ead, and at the word pulled off j
gether. The animal did not jump nor Z
any more fuss he simply rolled j
eE, stretched out his limbs, worked his q
y and sharp claws a moment or two, 1
d gave up the ghost without another j
otcst. He was o male adult OF full /
measured II Ia feet in the clear. I
9 had q jaw on him that was capable s
crushing an OK. His skin was in g
condition, being q bright o
'Wn on the back but fading away into 4
Oft white brown toward the sides, and s